12359 Cajigal

12359 Cajigal
Discovery[1]
Discovered byO. A. Naranjo
Discovery siteLlano del Hato – Mérida
Discovery date22 September 1993
Designations
(12359) Cajigal
Named after
Juan Manuel Cajigal y Odoardo (mathematician, engineer, and statesman)[2]
1993 SN3 · 1976 UU2
1998 QB9
main-belt · Themis[3]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc40.39 yr (14,754 days)
Aphelion3.6970 AU
Perihelion2.7026 AU
3.1998 AU
Eccentricity0.1554
5.72 yr (2,091 days)
53.802°
0° 10m 19.92s / day
Inclination0.9455°
175.05°
223.78°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions10.49 km (calculated)[3]
11.69±2.68 km[4]
13.052±0.197 km[5][6]
11.7664±0.0038 h[7]
0.08 (assumed)[3]
0.095±0.022[5][6]
0.098±0.064[4]
C[3]
12.9[1] · 13.10±0.41[8] · 12.805±0.003[7] · 12.6[5] · 13.25[3] · 12.80[4]

12359 Cajigal, provisional designation 1993 SN3, is a carbonaceous Themistian asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 12 kilometers in diameter.

The asteroid was discovered on 22 September 1993, by Venezuelan astronomer Orlando Naranjo at the Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory, Mérida, located in the Venezuelan Andes.[9] It was named after Venezuelan politician and scientist Juan Manuel Cajigal y Odoardo.[2]

Orbit and classification

Cajigal is a member of the Themis family, a dynamical family of outer-belt asteroids with nearly coplanar ecliptical orbits.[3] It orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.7–3.7 AU once every 5 years and 9 months (2,091 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.16 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

In October 1976, t was first observed as 1976 UU2 at Crimea–Nauchnij. The body's observation arc begins 2 years prior to its official discovery observation, with a precovery taken at Steward Observatory (Kitt Peak–Spacewatch) in June 1991.[9]

Physical characteristics

Lightcurve

In September 2010, a photometric lightcurve of Cajigal obtained in the R-band by astronomers at the Palomar Transient Factory in California, gave a rotation period of 11.7664 hours with a brightness variation of 0.27 magnitude (U=2).[7]

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Cajigal measures 11.69 and 13.052 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.098 and 0.095, respectively.[4][5][6] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a C-type like standard albedo for members of the Themis family of 0.08 and calculates a diameter of 10.5 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 13.25.[3]

Naming

This minor planet was named after Venezuelan mathematician, engineer, and statesman, Juan Manuel Cajigal y Odoardo (1803–1856), who introduced the study of mathematics and engineering in his country with his founding of the Military Academy of Mathematics in 1831. He also installed the first astronomical telescopes in Caracas, where the Cajigal Observatory ("El Observatorio Cajigal") was later established in 1888.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 10 September 2003 (M.P.C. 49675).[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 12359 Cajigal (1993 SN3)" (2017-03-19 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). "(12359) Cajigal [3.20, 0.16, 0.9]". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (12359) Cajigal, Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003–2005. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 70. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-34361-5_665. ISBN 978-3-540-34360-8.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "LCDB Data for (12359) Cajigal". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Nugent, C.; et al. (November 2012). "Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 759 (1): 5. arXiv:1209.5794. Bibcode:2012ApJ...759L...8M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  7. ^ a b c Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  8. ^ Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  9. ^ a b "12359 Cajigal (1993 SN3)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  10. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 17 May 2016.